Founder Weekly (Issue 686 May 21 2025)

Welcome to issue 686 of Founder Weekly. Let's get straight to the links this week.

200+ AI Side Hustles to Start Right Now

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General

Startup Ideas You Can Now Build With AI

This YouTube video discusses how AI is enabling the revival of old business models and creating new startup opportunities. It highlights how previously unviable ideas, such as personalized tutors and scalable recruiting platforms, are now feasible thanks to advancements in large language models (LLMs).

When customers buy your competitor’s product… and then buy yours

The article argues that in business and life, you don’t always have to choose between two appealing options—sometimes, “buying both” leads to greater opportunity, creativity, and satisfaction. By questioning false dichotomies and embracing abundance when possible, you can unlock better outcomes than forcing unnecessary trade-offs.

The hidden benefits of being an open-source startup

How being open source helps us win.

Marketing, Sales and PR

The nasty side effects of bad PLG

What it costs you to mess up your Growth.

How Perplexity Grows

Dissecting Perplexity’s growth strategy and tactics in Acquisition and Retention.

191 Social Proof Examples

Disover strategies to build trust, drive conversions, and grow your brand.

Money and Finance

The 3 Deep Tech Fundraising Narratives That Actually Work

I wrote a post on how the best technical founders frame their story to unlock capital, talent, and traction.

Why Don’t Billionaires Invest In Longevity?

This post highlights that the technological foundation for extending human healthspan is already established, yet significant investment is lacking. The piece argues that even a modest allocation of billionaire wealth could dramatically accelerate progress in combating age-related diseases and enhancing quality of life.

How we raised $2.2M in funding to transform government hiring with AI

Holly, co-founded by Cherie Chung and Brendan Hellweg, is a GovTech startup using AI to modernize and accelerate government hiring, addressing inefficiencies that make public sector recruitment nearly five times slower than in the private sector. Their journey—from identifying this critical problem to raising $2.2 million in pre-seed funding—highlights the importance of strong co-founder relationships, value-aligned investors, and pilot programs, while emphasizing that conviction, transparency, and partnership are essential for success in the GovTech space.

Everything is Technology

Trillions of Dollars of Venture Capital Addressable Value.